Method and apparatus for wrapping cylindrical articles



Jan. 7, 19361 A. H. HAUPT t2,025,532

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR WRAPPING CYLINDRICAL ARTICLES Filed March 5l, 1934 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 FTQ. 4.,

INVENTOR.

ATTORNEY.

Jan. 7, 1936. A HAUPT I 2,026,532

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR WRAPPING CYLINDRICAL ARTICLES Filed March 51, 1954 s sheets-sheet 5A INVENTOR.

ylub EFTLLS Hendrik Haupl ATTORN EY.

Patented Jan. 7, 1936 PATENT OFFICE METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR WRAPPmG crLiNDmcAL ARTICLES Albertus Hendrik Haupt, Somerset West, Union v of South Africa, assig'nor to Imperial Chemical Industries Britain Application March 31, 1934, Serial No.

Limited, a corporation of Great In Gl't Britain April 1, 1933 5 Claims.` (Cl. 93-2) 'I'his invention relates to an improved method and apparatus for wrapping cylindrical articles, especially cylinders of gelatinous or plastic blasting explosives or other plastic or semi-plastic materials which require delicate handling. At present cylinders of gelatinous blasting explosives are wrapped by hand, or the gelatinous material is extruded into previously formed cylindrical shells. It has also been proposed to wrap cylinders of plastic explosives in paper by means of a machine in which a stationary flat sheet of paper is picked up vby a cylinder of the plastic explosive rolling over the sheet. For the action of the machine it is necessary that adhesion should take place between the cylinder and the end of the paper which it first meets in its travel, and if the cylinder itself is not composed of sufficiently sticky material it must be provided with an adhesive.

The principal object of the present invention is to provide a method and apparatus for wrapping cylindrical articles, which when applied to the wrapping of gelatinous or plastic blasting explosives will avoid the disadvantages of the methods referred to in the preceding paragraph, namely, the slowness of hand wrapping, the drawbacks of the process of extrusion into previously formed cylindrical shells aration of the shells, Jlimited scope of the method), and the useof an adhesive. It should be pointed out that the usual gelatinous or plastic blasting explosives are not suiiiciently sticky to cause the adhesion of the .waxed or other paper which is generally used for wrapping them.

According to the preferred form of the present invention cylindrical articles are wapped by feeding them, together with wrapping sheets of the correct size and appropriate shape at appropriate intervals in succession-in the same direction along a substantially horizontal endless travelling band which changes direction and'takes a downward course at a suitable point, so that the end of the wrapping sheet projects from the horizontal portion of the band.

The cylindrical articles are fed so that at this point a single article is arrested by one of a number of driven rollers which is placed in a position close to the travelling band. Immediately afterwards another driven roller closes behind the cylindrical article, which is confined and given a rotary motion by means of the driven rollers. 'Ihe Wrapping sheet is` now conveyed by the belt and passes beneath the roller which has closed behind the cylindrical article, and

beneath the cylindrical article, and its leading (previous prepedge is turned upwards by one of the driven rollers, and it is wrapped aroundthe cylindrical article.

The portions of the wrapping sheet which project beyond the ends of the wrapped article are then folded inwardly and closed by crimping and tapping devices.

Two of the driven rollers now move so as to free the wrapped article and it is discharged by the movement of the belt, down the inclined portion of the latter.

My apparatus is best described in relation to the accompanying drawings.

Figures 1, 2, and 3 are diagrams showing respectively the sequence of movements of the rollers which perform the wrapping operation. In the drawings there are shown three wrapping rollers and in practice this number is to be preferred, although more may be employed.

Figure 4 is a side elevation illustrating the general arrangement of a machine incorporating the invention.

Figures 5, 6, and 7 are details of the end closing devices.

, Figure 8 is a diagrammatic front elevation` looking -towards the direction from 'which the article is being conveyed.

Referring to the drawings, an endless belt I,

of the same Width as the length of the cylindrical "article to be wrapped, operated `at a suitable constant speed, passes over a roller 2, which is free to rotate on the shaft 23, and thence in a downward direction.

Driven roller 3 is carried on arms 6 and I6,

whilst rollers ,I and 5 are carried on arms 'I and 20, the drive to these rollers being transmitted' b'y'iiexible shafts 24 and 29 as well as one not shown driving roller 3. These arms are shown as oscillating about a common shaft 8, but this feature is not essential and they could be arranged to oscillate on separate shafts. The oscillation of the arms 6, I6, 1 and 20 about shaft 8 is accomplished by means of cams O, 32, I 0 and 56, mounted on a shaft I I, but other methods of actuating the arms may be employed.` It will be understood that only the arms 5 andI'I are shown in Figures 1, 2, 3, and 4.

Cylinders I2 of the gelatinous or plastic mate- -rial previously cut to the required length, are

delivered by suitable means at regular' intervals on to the endless conveying belt I, which moves substantially horizontally until it passes. over the roller 2, the cylinders being fed so that their cylindrical axes are and remain substantially parallel to the axes of the rollers. At suitable in tervals sheets I3 of wrapping material, broad 4als.

enough to wrap the cylinders I2 and form the end aps, are delivered by suitable means on to the belt in correct alignment with the direction of motion of the belt.

The movable arms 6 and I6 carrying the driven roller 3 are actuated so that at suitable intervals the roller rises to the position shown in Figure 1 to permit the cylinder I2 to pass underneath; it then descends into the required position for carrying out the wrapping operation as shown in` Figure 2. The roller 3 when in this position will permit the wrapping material to pass under it.

The conveyor belt I carries the cylinder I2 forward a short distance past the roller 3, and changes its own direction downward as it passes over the roller 2, while cylinder I2 is stopped by contact with the driven rollers 4 and 5 on the movable arms 1 and 2li which are suitably inclined so as to bring the rollers 4 and 5 into A sprocket wheel 38 is carried on theshaft 28 and by means of a chain 55 and wheel 39 on shaft 2l drives one of the material cutting rollers 40.

The other cutting roller 4I is driven from 49 by means of interrupted gearing. These rollers 5 carry helical knives (not shown) which are adapted to slice the wrapping material into rhomboids. The wrapping material I3 which is preferably paper is drawn from-a roll 22 and guided with the aid of the tensioning guide 42 through the w guide rollers 43 and 44 by the cutting rollers 49 contact with the article I2. The partial rotation of the arms carrying respectively the roller 3 and the two rollers 4 and 5 is effected by the cams 9 and 32, I0 and 56. Part of the circumference of the roller 5 extends below the plane of the`horizontal portion of the conveyor belt and at this stage the roller 5 is in close proximity to the belt as the latter is changing its direction of motion, so that the cylinder I2 remains on top of the horizontal portion of the conveyor belt, and commences to rotate.

Meanwhile arms 6 and I8 bearing the roller 3 under which the cylinder I2 has passed have fallen so that the roller 3 is in contact with the cylinder I2.

The sheet of paper or other wrapping material I3 passes freely under the roller 3 and beneath the cylinder I2. It is then raised and turned backwards by the roller 5 and is wrappedround and 4I, which cut the material to the required shape and deliverit at the required intervals to the conveyor belt I. In this manner a number of sheets of wrapping material cut to a suitable size 15 and shape are fed in succession onto the belt I. Sheets cut to the shapeof a rhomboid are preferred.

The plastic material to be wrapped is extruded from any suitable type of extruding machine. 20 One such machine is shown in Figure 4, where NVthe material is extruded through an opening I1 under pressure appliedby a rotating screw (not shown).

The extruded material is cut ,intdesired 25 lengths by cutters at the ends of a pair of rotating arms I8 which are spaced apart at a distance equal to the desired length of the extended cyl: inders. As well as cutting the cylinders of plastic material to the required length the cutters also 30 serve to propel the cut cylinders from the platform I9 on to the belt I.

On shaft 2| there is a chain sprocket 45 which is free to revolve on shaft 2| and is driven in the opposite directionto shaft 2l by gear wheels 35 the rotating cylinder I2 by the combined action` of the rollers 5, 4, 3 and the belt I. After the cylinder I2 has been wrapped, crimping and tapping devices I4 and 51, I5 and 58 come into opera"- tion, thus effecting complete closing of the ends of the wrapper. The arms rollers 4 and 5 are then moved to the position 1 and 20^carrying the shown in Figure 3, permitting the wrapped cylinder to be discharged I and the force of gravity. p

Thereafter the motion of the shaft II through `cams 9 and 32. I0 and'56 causes the arms 6 and I6, 1 and 20 to take up again move and the rollers 3, 4 and 5 to the positions shown in Figure 1 to Apermit repetition of the process.

by theV motion of the belt sheets ofwrapping material of suitable size and shape and for cutting cylinders of the plastic material of the required length.

The main framework 25 of the machine carries a driving shaft 26. 'Ihe endless conveyor belt I passes over driving rollers on this shaft and on shaft 28 and is supported on free rollers on shafts 23 and 21. The driving shaft 26 drives the shaft 28 by means of sprocket wheels 52 and 53 conl nected by the chain 54.

on shaft 28 and on chain sprocket 45. These gears are not shown.

Shaft 30 upon which th! cutter arms I8 are secured, is driven through chain wheel 45, chain 46 and sprocket wheel 41. e 40 In a similar manner the cam shaft II is driven from shaft 30 by means of a chain 48 and wheels 49 and 50. j By these chains and wheels thecorrect synchronization of the feeding on to the belt of the 45 wrapping material and the cylindrical article and the raising and lowering of the wrapping rollers are effected. I drive the shafts 2|, 30 and II at one revolution for each article wrapped. If the shaft 30 carries two or more sets of cutters and 50 multiple cams are xed to shaft II, these shafts a reduced speed. q

meshes with a geart on a hollow shaft 6I.

AOn this shaft there is another gear 82 not shown.

This gear 62 drives a gear which is fixed tothe shaft 64 and through th flexible shaft 24 drives 30 the roller 4. Gear 62 'also ,drives the roller 5 through gear 65 and shafts 66 and 29. In a similar manner this gear 62 also drives roller 3 by a gear and shafts not shown. These rollers revolve'at such a speed that the peripheral ve'- 35 locity of each is about the velocity of the belt I. We have found it preferable to make the periphe` eralvelocity of the rollers somewhat higher than thatof the belt.

Figures 5 and 6 represent different views of 70 the crimping ngers which rotate at interrupted intervals in the same direction of rotation as that of the roller 2 which revolves on shaft 23 upon which they are fixed. The intermittent motion is given -to shaft 23 upon which .the crimper's g and M are fixed by a gear wheel 61 and an inter-- rupted gear wheel 68 fixed on shaft 69,'the proportions of these gears being such that the shaft 23 makes one revolution and then comes to rest. The fingers 3l are chamfered off on their leading edges as shown at 33 in Figure 5. When the ends of the wrapped article have been crimped in, the ngers come' to rest leaving the crimped ends exposed. The tapping rods shown as i5 and 58 and in ldetail in Figure 7 are then advanced towards the crimped ends. The cupped portion 3d rst presses the crimped end of the material covering the cylindrical article and as the tapping rod 35 continues to advance the end of this rod 36 presses the centre ,of the crimped material whilst its periphery is held by the cupped portion 3d. The spring 3l causes the portion 3d to resume the position shown in Figure 7 lupon the tapping rod 35 being withdrawn from the wrapped article. The advance of the tapping rods l5 and 5t is given by the bakers cams lil and 'il fixed on the shaft 69 striking the heads of the tapping rods. A spring not shown withdraws the tapping rod when the cam has passed the head 5i.

In the above manner the operation of the crimping and tapping devices is synchronized with the completion of the wrapping process.

My invention is particularly suitable for the wrapping of cartridges of gelatinous or plastic materials and has the advantage of a rapid output, while the floor space occupied bythe machine is very small in proportion to the output. A machine constructed according to my invention requires only a single operator.

1. The method of wrapping plastic explosive material which comprises arranging the material in a longitudinally extended series of individual cylinders with the cylinders spaced the one from the other, and with individual wrapping sheets interspersed among the cylinders, feeding the thus-arranged assembly forward and arresting the forward travel of each cylinder in turn, conning the cylinder and imparting rotation thereto,I feeding the wrapping sheet that is immediately behind such cylinder into contact with the under side thereof, turning the edge of such sheet upward about such cylinder and into confinement therewith, and continuing the rotation of such cylinder while so conned until it is wrapped.

2. 'Ihe method of wrapping plastic explosive material which comprises arranging the material upon a travelling conveyor, in a longitudinally extended series of individual cylinders with the cylinders spaced the one from the other, and with individual wrapping sheets interspersed among the cylinders, feeding the thus-arranged assembly forward to an arresting roller and arresting the forward travel of each cylinder in turn, removing the cylinder from the conveyor and confining the cylinder between rotating rollers, to impart rotation thereto, feeding the wrapping sheet that is immediately behind suchA cylinder into contact with the under side thereof and into confinement therewith, turning the edge of such sheet upward about such cylinder, and continuing the rotation of such cylinder while so conned until it is wrapped.

3. In a machine for wrapping plastic explosive material, in combination; a substantially horizontally arranged travelling flexible conveyor, a device delivering individual cylinders of the material in succession to said conveyor to lie thereon, a device delivering individual wrapping sheets in succession to said conveyor to lie thereon, means synchronizing said devices to place a. wrapping sheet behind each cylinder, a device spaced along said conveyor from said delivering devices in the direction of travel of said conveyor for turning said conveyor downward creating an angle therein, means arranged above said conveyor and adjacent said angle for arresting the forward travel of each cylinder in turn, directing the forward edge of the following wrapping sheet into contact with such cylinder, and wrapping such sheet about such cylinder, and means for synchronizing such last-named means with said delivering devices.

4. In a machine for wrapping plastic explosive material, in combination: a substantially horizontally arranged travelling flexible conveyor, a device delivering individual cylinders of the-material in succession to said conveyor to lie thereon, a device delivering individual wrapping sheets in succession to said conveyor to lie thereon,

means synchronizing said devices to place a wrapping sheet behind each cylinder, a support spaced along said conveyor from said delivering devices in the direction of travel of said conveyor and about which said conveyor is atleast partially wrapped to turn said conveyor downward creating an angle therein, a roller arranged above said conveyor and beyond the conveyor support and movable into the path of said cylinders for arresting the forward travel of each cylinder in turn and directing the forward edge of the following wrapping sheet into contact with such cylinder, a roller movable to position into contact with such cylinder, means for driving at least one of said rollers to wrap such sheet about such cylinder, and means for moving said rollers into coaction with said cylinders in turn in synchronism with said delivering devices.

5. In a machine for wrapping plastic explosive material, in combination: a substantially horizontally arranged travelling flexible conveyor, a device delivering individual cylinders of the material in succession to said conveyor to lie thereon, a device delivering individual wrapping sheets in succession to said conveyor to lie thereon, means synchronizing said devices to place a wrapping sheet behind each cylinder, a support spaced along said conveyor from said delivering devices in the direction of travel of said conveyor and about which said conveyor is at least partiallywrapped to turn said conveyor downward creating an angle therein, aroller arranged above said conveyor and beyond the conveyor support land movable into the path of said cylinders forY arresting the forward travel of each cylinder in turn and directing the forward edge of the following Wrapping sheet into contact with such cylinder, a roller movable to a position above CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION.'

Patent No. 2,026,552.V p January 7, 1936.

ALBERTUS HENDRIK HAUPT.

It is hereby certified that error appears in the printed specification of the above numbered patent requiring correction as follows: Page l, second column, line 42, for "cams 0" read cams 9;y page 2, second column, line 28, for "extended" read extruded; and that the said Letters Patent should be read with these corrections therein that the same may conform to the record of the case in the Patent Office.

Signed and sealed this 5rd day of March, A. D. 1936,

Leslie Frazer (Seal) Acting Commissioner of Patents.

CERTIFICATE or CORRECTION.'

Patent No. 2,026,532..V January 7, 1936.

l ALBERTUS HENDRIK HAUPT.

It is hereby Certified that error appears in the printed specification of the above numbered patent requiring Correction as follows: Page l, second Column, line 42, for "Cams 0" read cams 9; page 2, second Column, line 28, for "extended" read extruded; and that the said Letters Patent should be read `with these corrections therein that the same. may Conform to the record of the Case in the Patent Office.

Signed and sealed this 5rd day of March, A. D, 1936,

Leslie Frazer Seal) Acting Commissioner of Patents. 

